India-Pakistan six-Test series evokes great interest and enthusiasm in both countries

The current India-Pakistan Test series has, as usual, aroused great interest in both countries, India Today commissioned former Indian captain Bishen Singh Bedi to report on play on - and off - the field.

Bedis comments on the India-England series earlier last summer (India Today, July 31, 1982) brought in an enthusiastic response from readers, who appeared to have liked the idea of one of India's most enduring players talking about his one-time colleagues spiced with news from the dressing-room. This time, Bedi will be doing four reports on the six-Test series. The first of these reports is on the first Test in Lahore which ended in a draw.

After the magnificent spectacle of the IX Asian Games, the nation's attention turned towards the Indo-Pak cricket series. Fortunately, for those who cared, the void left by the completion of the Asian Games - which had almost become a way of - was not felt as much.

A contest with Pakistan, be it political, social, cultural or sporting is always accepted as the ultimate challenge in both countries, by the public as well as the press. I was at the National Stadium when Pakistan destroyed India 7-1 to become kings of Asian hockey.

When the score was 3-1 in favour of Pakistan, a majority of the Indian supporters started deserting the stadium. One of them spotted me and remarked with disgusted sarcasm: "I hope the cricketers will do better than the hockey players."

I was so furious, I wanted to strangle that wag. Is it the end of the world if India loses to Pakistan in hockey or cricket? I am sure many Pakistanis would ask a similar question.

Background: Well, the fact remains that when it comes to cricket or hockey between the two countries, it no longer remains a sport to be enjoyed. I discovered this ugly aspect, much to my personal sorrow, in 1978 when we toured Pakistan after a gap of more than two decades.

We lost to a decidedly better team, but the Indian public could not accept it. On the other hand, General Zia got so carried away that he declared a national holiday and promptly rang me up to elatedly convey his decision.

Javed Miandad gets a 'life' off Kapil Dev: Sloppy fielding

I feel that this background is essential to emphasise the relative importance of the present series. For one thing, India avenged the 1978 debacle with a comfortable 2-0 victory when the Pakis visited India in 1979-80.

That time, too, the Pakistanis were a stronger combination, but we played better. I don't think Majid Khan would agree with that. He was pretty vocal about the standard of Indian umpiring. Not only that, he made no attempt to hide his anti-Indian feelings, which was a shame really, considering that his educational qualifications boast of a stint at Cambridge. Let's hope the present tour of Pakistan is devoid of anything unpleasant.

Enjoyable Stay: I flew into Lahore on December 9 in the august company of a party of Indian cricket board officials, headed by the eminent N. K. P. Salve, whose qualification as Union minister of state for information and broadcasting added stature to the group.

It was a pleasant surprise for me to be part of this VIP set-up. I'd like to think we all enjoyed our stay in Lahore. There were quite a few evenings of fun and laughter, of musical nights and endless discussions on Indo-Pak relations.

Gavaskar's wicket falls: Dogged innings

If your hosts range from Mohammad Ah (as legendary as, our own Dilip Kumar) to Nur Jehan to Mallika Pukhraj to Faiz Ahmed Faiz, there shouldn't be many complaints. But I am not too sure how some of the Indian cricketers felt when a party arranged by Zaheer Abbas was disturbed by a military raid. Fortunately, for everybody concerned, sanity was soon restored.

As for the weather, Lahore was pretty chilly, a bit too uncomfortable perhaps from the spectators' point of view. But the weather wasn't the sole reason for the poorest attendance in an Indo-Pak Test match.

The BCCP (Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan) took the unprecedented decision to give a private contractor charge of the gates for the entire series. A profitable deal that for the Pakistan Board, something to the tune of Rs 1.60 crore, but what a way of running away from the responsibility of cricket organisation.

Bad Deal: It would be naive to expect that the contractor didn't mean business. The strategy was well-planned, but not well-executed. The whole thing misfired for want of proper economic guidance, the ticket denominations (Rs 1,500 to Rs 350) were not within the means of an average cricket follower, with the result that crowd involvement, which is ever so essential for Test match atmosphere, was totally lacking.

Another widely rumoured theory is that the Government was apprehensive of political demonstrations. It would be relevant to recall that the Gaddafi Stadium got its name during the Bhutto regime.

Well, if this story has any truth in it, the local authorities did extremely well to keep potential trouble-makers away. It is quite another matter that the game suffered. Omar Qureshi, the renowned Pakistani commentator, suggested "Rent-a-crowd" to the BCCP.

Now let's come down to the game itself. I was quite astonished to find that the traditional courtesy of using the centre wicket for a Test match was done away with. Of course, the host country is well within reason to prepare a wicket to suit the home team, for which a well-grassed track on the extreme edge of the square was prepared. Was it a wonder then that the Pakistanis opted for an all pace attack - four of them, in fact, shades of the West Indian influence?

Long before the toss took place, both teams had worked out a strategy to field first. So that when Gavaskar won the toss and invited the Pakis to bat first, his only regret might have been that he had decided to play two spinners.

Cricket logic suggested that if we had made up our mind to field another seamer, Balwinder Sandhu would have been a good choice. And the pity is that Sandhu may not strike such ideal conditions for seam bowling on the rest of the tour. I am quite positive that Sandhu would have made better use of the wicket for the simple reason that he bowls a fuller length.

Big Innings: Both Kapil Dev and Madan Lal expected much out of the wicket rather than their own ability to keep the ball up to the batsman. Perhaps the sheer excitement of bowling on a greentop was working against their intentions, plus the unpardonable string of dropped catches one after the other, literally - and all behind the stumps and in the slips region.

Mohsin was let off very early. Javed Miandad didn't capitalise on the two lives, which was some relief. But Zaheer Abbas made the best of a life in the 70s to pile up a magnificent double hundred, and in the process completed a century of first-class centuries, which to my mind was a great achievement. Zaheer is the first Asian to do so. Modestly, 'Z' thanked 'Allah' for "making a dream come true".

Not many in world cricket can compete with Zaheer's appetite for runs. He is a great player and the Pakistanis expected me to join them in acknowledging Zaheer as one of the best in the world, which I did readily. But when I was asked to agree that Zaheer was the greatest in Asia, I said that was debatable.

Of the other Pakistani batsmen, I was very impressed with Mohsin Khan's development into a world-class player. I remember he got a hundred off us in '78 at Hyderabad. Then he was a "goer" for the ball. He is more organised in his defence now, without looking any less attractive. Like Zaheer, I suspect Mohsin too is going to relish the Indian bowling.

Lethargic Fielding: Which brings me to the limitations of the Indian attack. It is very important that some front-line batsmen should realise this sad aspect. I am sure they can complement the attack with a slightly more intense involvement on the field. And in order to do that, practice sessions ought to be taken more assiduously. Nearly all the senior bowlers were lamenting that the Indian team's fielding was pretty lethargic.

Pakistan took two full days to pile up 485, not a brisk rate of scoring, but very effective all the same. Mohsin and Zaheer cornered all the glory. So much so that Dilip Doshi's outstanding feat of five wickets was nearly put in the shade. I rate Dilip's effort exceptional because there wasn't much for him in the wicket. His length and direction were superb, and his application was that of a thoroughbred professional.

Not for the first time, India were chasing a mammoth score, firstly to avoid the follow-on and then to establish some kind of authority over the fearsome Imran Khan and the not so fearsome Sarfraz Nawaz, Tahir Naqqash and Jalaluddin.

Both Gavaskar and Arun Lal went about their task of laying a sound foundation in a methodical manner. In their eagerness to frighten the batsmen out, the Pakistani bowlers sacrificed the virtues of line and length, and the visitors prospered. Lal is showing a lot of keenness to learn, something he can do abundantly watching his captain bat at the other end.

Determined Play: Sunil grafted as only he can, although there were a few anxious moments against Imran, by far the best Pakistani bowler. The Pakistani captain stirred a bit of panic in the Indian dressing-room when, on the fourth morning, he sent back Lal, Vengsarkar and Vishwanath in quick succession.

But Mohinder Amarnath and Gavaskar steadied the situation with solid, grim determination. One was staging a come-back to Test cricket after three years and the other had the herculean responsibility of a captain leading by personal example. Both of them had more than their share of bouncers, but they never flinched.

I can understand Imran behaving and looking fearsome. But I was surprised to see Tahir and Jalaluddin overdoing the bouncer. In terms of aviation, it was like a Dakota trying to be an F-16 which, incidentally, is the latest craze in Pakistan. Once Sandeep Patil came on the scene, both Tahir and Jalaluddin were put in their place, well and truly.

In a swift partnership with Mohinder Amarnath, Sandeep brushed away the follow-on threat and went on to emphasise the innocuousness of the Pakistan bowling. Except for Imran, I can't imagine any of the other three medium pacers running through the Indian batting line-up. An injury kept Abdul Qadir out of the first Test, but surely Iqbal Qasim or Tauseef Ahmed were good enough to break the monotony of medium pacers.

Staying On: Sarfraz Nawaz, that peculiar character of Pakistan cricket, was staging a come-back to Test cricket and simultaneously threatening to retire. But the media wouldn't entertain his gimmicks. He told me: "If I don't get any wickets, I leave gracefully, but if inshaallah, I get a few, then the selectors have no choice."

Cheeky soul, big Sarf! As it turned out, Sarf did bowl well, as he has done on so many occasions in the past. I have a faint suspicion that Sarfraz will continue on a match-to-match basis.

Mohinder Amarnath got his third Test hundred on the fifth day, a well-deserved effort and unbeaten to boot. The Test itself was always heading for a draw considering the thin bowling resources of both the teams.

I am not too sure which captain is going to take the initiative to go for a win. The mere thought of what happened to a fellow called Bishen Bedi and another called Asif Iqbal must be at the back of the mind of both Gavaskar and Imran. The latter is relatively new to Test captaincy but he has already left quite a positive impact on Pakistan cricket. However, I must confess that Imran had fewer opportunities in the Lahore Test to show off any of his tactical skills. And the much publicised personal combat between him and Kapil Dev is yet to warm up.

Master Batsmen: On a personal note, I was very pleased for both Zaheer and Gavaskar, as they continue to guide the batting destinies of their respective countries. They were both my colleagues on the rest of the world tour to Australia in 1971-72. They had both hit the international scene thunderously to earn for themselves such accolades as "the Karachi Bradman" and "the Bombay Bradman".

Once in Adelaide, the great Rohan Kanhai spotted them chatting with Sir Donald, and remarked: "Look, the Karachi Bradman and the Bombay Bradman are conversing with the Original Bradman."

I have no doubt that even Kanhai would acknowledge the remarkable consistency of these two run machines, one getting a century of centuries and the other completing 7,000 runs in Test cricket. Well done, Zaheer and Sunil!

There are not many tours where high commissions or embassies play such vital roles as in Pakistan. In '78, the Indian ambassador, Shankar Bajpai, was simply marvellous. This time, I was pleased to note the Indian Ambassador, K.D. Sharma, and India's Consul-General in Karachi, G. Parthasarthy, went out of their way to ensure the comfort of the Indians in Lahore.

The Indian team's manager F.P. Gaekwad is himself an ambassador of goodwill, if nothing else. In fact, one Lahorite suggested that the relationship between the two countries has improved so much that the people reckon they might as well be playing friendly games. Hence the poor crowd response.

KARACHI TEST: OUTCLASSED

{mosimage}As I write these lines the fate of the second Test is almost decided - heavily in favour of the home team.

The Indians have been outclassed in every department of the game. Losing the toss was not of any consequence since we would have batted had we won the toss. But we batted so insipidly in the first innings that to remain in the game was always going to be hard.

Imran has a healthy regard for India's batting strength. Naturally, he was apprehensive about his gamble to field first, but India never really recovered from the time Gavaskar ran himself out foolishly. Imran is all praise for Abdul Qadir's remarkable bowling. "He gave us all those vital breaks on that placid wicket," said the Pakistan captain. "I was surprised to see India fold up for 169."

Excellent Player: I would reserve my views on Qadir's potential for the time being, for the simple reason that I rate Imran's own aggressive influence far superior. The Pakistani captain is bowling really fast and accurate - a one-man annihilation squad as far as the Indians are concerned.

Imran's positive thinking appears to have the total backing of his team. According to some BCCP sources Imran is very headstrong, but he and Intikhab Alam, team manager, make a formidable combination of example setters. "Inty is the best thing that has happened to Pakistani cricket in modern times," feels Imran. "He makes my job of captaincy so much easier."

At one stage in the second Test, the Indians had the Pakistanis reeling at 18 for three, for Omar Qureshi to comment that "Pakistan had engineered a do-it-yourself crisis." But that was only a false alarm. Zaheer Abbas made sure of that. He is plundering hundreds - his 186 is his fourth consecutive one on this tour - as if by habit.

I recall that he scored heavily in, '78 too, but somehow he appears a more complete batsman now with the same insatiable greed for runs.

Mudassar Nazar, too, chipped in with an authoritative hundred to add to the woes of the Indian bowlers. Imran is confident: "This Indian attack is incapable of bowling us out twice." How I wish Kapil and company would make Imran eat his words.

But then, the Indian bowlers could certainly do with a little more support from the fielders. Fielding is one department where the home team are not only better they are outstanding.

Sudden Collapse: With a lead of 283 the avenues for an all-out Pakistani attack were limitless and Imran and Qadir were relentless with close-in fielders breathing on the necks of the Indian batsmen. Gavaskar and Vengsarkar put up brave resistance, but only just.

They nearly saw a tired Imran out. Then, suddenly,' Sunil's defence was pierced, and this rejuvenated the handsome Pathan. He produced a pearl of a delivery to make Vishwanath look like a novice in his 88th Test. Poor Mohinder was declared lbw once again, and left the wicket as perplexed as in the first innings.

Sandip, Kirmani and Kapil perished in quick succession. Admittedly Imran bowled a sensational spell, but some lacklustre Indian batting encouraged the Pakistani captain.

At the other end, even Qadir was made to look like a demon. There was no resolute application. Only Vengsarkar remains among the ruins.

Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar would prefer to forget the third day's play as "an ugly nightmare". But the little master is confident of coming back into the series a la Indian hockey, which he reckons is as good an example as one can cite.

"We are down but not out," says the Indian manager. F. P. Gaekwad. But the Pakistani captain feels otherwise; says he: "The psychological advantage lies with us. With such a comprehensive defeat behind them it will be difficult for the Indians to come back into the series."

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